Animal behaviour training apparatus

ABSTRACT

An animal behavior training apparatus comprises in combination an activation means and a feeding device ( 12 ). The means has a sensing device ( 7 ) acting as a switch and being in an electric circuit with an electric motor ( 34 ) forming part of a feeding mechanism of the feeding device ( 12 ) which has a container ( 24 ) to receive foodstuffs or treats. The sensing device ( 7 ) when activated causes the feeding mechanism to discharge a measure of foodstuffs or treats form the container ( 24 ). The container ( 24 ) of the feeding device is upright and has an open top closable by a lid ( 26 ) and the bottom of the container ( 24 ) communicates with the feeding mechanism.

[0001] This invention relates to an animal behavioral trainingapparatus, for example for house toilet training, or attitude training,or the management of behavior of domestic animals, particularly but notexclusively dogs.

[0002] Accordingly, the present invention is an animal behavior trainingapparatus comprising in combination an activation means and a feedingdevice, the means having a sensing device acting as a switch and beingin an electric circuit with an electric motor forming part of a feedingmechanism of the feeding device which has a container to receivefoodstuffs or treats, the sensing device when activated causing thefeeding mechanism to discharge a measure of foodstuffs or treats fromthe container.

[0003] Preferably, the container of the feeding device is upright andhas an open top closable by a lid, the bottom of the containercommunicating with the feeding mechanism. The container preferably hasone or more internal sloping guide plates to direct flow of anyfoodstuffs or treats inside the container and towards the feedingmechanism. The container is desirably of rectangular cross-section.

[0004] Preferably also, the feeding mechanism is an elongate tray offlexible material to the underside of which the electric motor ismounted to impart when energized, vibration to the tray, the tray beingmounted at one end to a side of the container and at its opposite endresting on a support. The end of the tray resting on the support is thedischarge end and desirably has a lip upwardly directed and inclinedtowards the side of the container to which the other end is mounted. Twosloping guide plates are beneficially provided in the container oneabove the other and one extending inwards from each of opposite sideswhereby flow of material into the containers is directed downwardly fromthe upper guide plate onto the lower guide plate then onto the tray.

[0005] Preferably further, the training apparatus is for toilet trainingand the activation means has a catchment device to hold any liquid ormatter waste and the sensing device is for moisture or temperatureactivation. The catchment device preferably has a mat comprising animpervious bottom sheet over part of all of which an absorbent pad isprovided covered by a liquid permeable top sheet. The sensing device isof metallic foil maze type arrangement provided over the top sheet withelectrical contact being made when liquid extends between foil parts ofthe arrangement of different polarity.

[0006] Alternatively, the catchment device may be a tray having a bottomand an upstanding wall surround, the surround incorporating a ledgespaced above and substantially parallel to the bottom, the ledgesupporting a platform extending over the bottom the platform ispreferably a metallic grid having a porous fabric thereover to allowurine to pass therethrough into the catchment space therebelow. As partof the sensing device, the bottom of the tray is desirably covered witha thin metallic foil attached thereto, the metallic grid forming asecond part of the sensing device.

[0007] The training apparatus may alternatively be for correctingbehavior and the activation means may alternatively be a sound orsilence activated device.

[0008] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, byway of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammaticdrawings, in which:

[0009]FIG. 1 is a cross-section of an activation means of a pet toilettraining apparatus according to a first embodiment of the presentinvention;

[0010]FIG. 2 is a plan view of the activation means shown in FIG. 1;

[0011]FIG. 3 is cross-section of an activation means of the pet toilettraining apparatus according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention;

[0012]FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a feeding device of theapparatus as shown in FIG. 3;

[0013]FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the activation means and a feedingdevice; and

[0014]FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the feeding device.

[0015] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a first embodiment ofa pet toilet training apparatus comprises in combination an activationmeans and a feeding device 12. The means has a catchment device to holdany liquid or matter waste and a sensing device for moisture ortemperature activation. The catchment device is a mat 2 comprising animpervious bottom sheet 4 over part or all of which an absorbent pad 6is provided covered by a liquid permeable top sheet 8. The sensingdevice is in an electrical circuit (not shown) with an electric motor 34forming part of a feeding mechanism of the feeding device 12. Thesensing device 7 acts as a switch and is a two-part metallic foilmaze-type arrangement 9 provided over the top sheet 8, each part havinga different polarity, with electrical contact being made when liquidextends between foil parts of the arrangement of different polarity tooperate the feeding mechanism.

[0016] Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5 of the drawings, a second embodiment ofa pet toilet training apparatus comprises in combination an activationmeans in the form of a catchment device to hold any liquid or matterwaste the device being a rectangular catchment tray 10 and a feedingdevice 12. The tray 10 has a bottom 14 and an upstanding wall surround16. The surround 16 incorporates a ledge 18 spaced above andsubstantially parallel to the bottom 14. The tray 10 is molded from aplastics material. The ledge 18 supports a platform 20 extending overthe bottom 14. A two part sensing device is provided for moisture ortemperature activation, the parts of the sensing device being in anelectric circuit (not shown) with an electric motor 34 forming part of afeeding mechanism of the feeding device 12. The platform 20 is a grid 21of stainless steel having a porous fabric 23 removably securedthereover, the fabric 23 allowing urine to pass therethrough into thecatchment space therebelow. As one part of the sensing device, thebottom tray 10 is covered with a thin metallic foil adhered thereto, thesecond part being formed by the metallic grid 21. The fabric 23 isremovable for washing.

[0017] In common to both embodiments, the feeding device 12 ispositioned at or near to the mat 2 or the tray 10 with a dispensing bowl22 accessible from the mat 2 or the tray 10. The sensing device, whenactivated by the moisture or temperature of the urine, causes thefeeding mechanism to discharge into the bowl 22 a measure of foodstuffsor treats from the feeding device 12. The feeding device 12 has anupright container 24 of rectangular cross-section for holding fluentfoodstuffs 28 or treats. The container 24 has an open top closable by alid 26 and communicates with the feeding mechanism. The bottom 30 of thecontainer 24 slopes downwards towards the outlet and the dispensing bowl22. A separate dispensing bowl, such as an animal's normal feeding bowlmay be used instead of an integral bowl as shown. The container 24 hastwo internal sloping guide plates to direct flow of any foodstuffs ortreats inside the container and towards the feeding mechanism.

[0018] The feeding mechanism is an elongate tray 38 of flexible materialto the underside of which the electric motor 34 is mounted to impart,when energized, vibration to the tray 38. The tray 38 is mounted at oneend to a side of the container 24 and at its opposite end rests on astationary rod support 40. The end of the tray 38 resting on the support40 is the discharge end and has a lip 42 upwardly directed and inclinedtowards the side of the container 24 to which the other end is mounted.Two sloping guide plates 44,46 are provided internally of the container24 one above the other and sloping in opposite directions, one extendinginwards from each of opposite sides whereby flow of material, i.e.foodstuffs or treats, into the container 24 is directed downwardly fromthe upper guide 44 onto the lower guide plate 46 then onto the tray 38.The foodstuffs catch behind the lip 42 and an amount builds up.Vibration caused by the motor 34, causes a proportion of that amount tobe discharged over the lip. By timing the period of energization of themotor, a fairly accurate amount of foodstuffs or treats can bedischarged. A timing mechanism is incorporated into the sensing device.The lip 42 prevents foodstuffs or treats failing off the tray when it isreplenished by more falling down from the guide plates 44, 46.

[0019] A dog or puppy reacts inter alia to urine smells and to passurine will normally seek out its or another's smell and then perform. Ina house, a householder heretofore may have placed a newspaper in acorner of a kitchen or laundry room for this purpose but this is messy.The invention described above is not only of benefit to attract the dogor puppy by smell but also by providing foodstuffs or a treat every timethe dog or puppy performs on the mat 2 or tray 10 and therefore is muchmore attractive for both householder and animal. When urine flows overthe two parts of the sensing device, a contact is made which energizesthe motor 34 to operate the feeding mechanism to discharge one measureof foodstuffs or treats.

[0020] In further embodiments of the training apparatus, the correctingof behavior of animals is provided for, such behavior being dogs barkingwhen they shouldn't or staying silent when they should bark. Theactivation means in these embodiments require the sensing device to besound or silence activated, the particular requirement being determinedbeforehand when presetting the device.

[0021] Variations and modifications can be made without departing fromthe scope of the invention described above and as claimed hereinafter.

1. An animal behavior training apparatus comprising in combination anactivation means and a feeding device, the means having a sensing deviceacting as a switch and being in an electric circuit with an electricmotor forming part of a feeding mechanism of the feeding device whichhas a container to receive foodstuffs or treats, the sensing device whenactivated causing the feeding mechanism to discharge a measure offoodstuffs or treats from the container.
 2. Apparatus as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the container of the feeding device is upright and hasan open top closable by a lid, the bottom of the container communicatingwith the feeding mechanism.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2,wherein the container has one or more internal sloping guide plates todirect flow of any foodstuffs or treats inside the container and towardsthe feeding mechanism.
 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein thecontainer is of rectangular cross-section.
 5. Apparatus as claimed inanyone of claims 1 to 4, wherein the feeding mechanism is an elongatetray of flexible material to the underside of which the electric motoris mounted to impart when energized, vibration to the tray, the traybeing mounted at one end to a side of the container and at its oppositeend resting on a support.
 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, whereinthe end of the tray resting on the support is the discharge end and hasa lip upwardly directed and inclined towards the side of the containerto which the other end is mounted.
 7. Apparatus as claimed in anyone ofclaims 3 to 6, wherein two sloping guide plates are provided in thecontainer one above the other and one extending inwards from each ofopposite sides whereby flow of material into the containers is directeddownwardly from the upper guide plate onto the lower guide plate thenonto the tray.
 8. Apparatus as claimed in anyone of the precedingclaims, wherein the apparatus is for toilet training and the activationmeans has a catchment device to hold any liquid or matter waste and thesensing device is for moisture or temperature activation.
 9. Apparatusas claimed in claim 8, wherein the catchment device has a mat comprisingan impervious bottom sheet over part of all of which an absorbent pad isprovided covered by a liquid permeable top sheet.
 10. Apparatus asclaimed in claim 9, wherein the sensing device is of metallic foil mazetype arrangement provided over the top sheet with electrical contactbeing made when liquid extends between foil parts of the arrangement ofdifferent polarity.
 11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein thecatchment device is a tray having a bottom and an upstanding wallsurround, the surround incorporating a ledge spaced above andsubstantially parallel to the bottom, the ledge supporting a platformextending over the bottom, the platform being a metallic grid having aporous fabric thereover to allow urine to pass therethrough into thecatchment-space therebelow.
 12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11,wherein as part of the sensing device, the bottom of the tray is coveredwith a thin metallic foil attached thereto, the metallic grid forming asecond part of the sensing device.
 13. Apparatus as claimed in anyone ofclaims 1 to 7, wherein the training apparatus is for correcting animalbehavior and the activation means is a sound or silence activateddevice.
 14. Training apparatus substantially as hereinbefore describedwith reference to FIGS. 1,2,5 and 6, or FIGS. 3,4,5 and 6 of theaccompanying drawings.